Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Center of Excellence in collaboration with the Regional Cooperation Council and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung presented today at the premises of the Albanian MFA the latest regional survey "Balkan Barometer 2016". This survey offers an extensive overview on the attitudes, opinions and perceptions of citizens and enterprises in the Western Balkans with regard to main social and economic trends and approach of various actors towards regional cooperation and European integration.
 
The survey results obtained may offer recommendations and serve as a guiding compass to sustainable regional policies, as well as assist Western Balkan governments in drafting and planning the development policies. General developments and pace of reforms in regional countries, as well as their real impact on the lives of citizens were also at focus of discussions. The survey comes at a crucial moment when the countries in the region are experiencing an important political momentum, when efforts are being intensified to build and develop a real Western Balkans regional approach.
 
In his opening remarks, Foreign Minister Dimtir Bushati dwelt on the importance of regional cooperation and considered the survey outcomes as a good opportunity to further recognize citizens’ perceptions on regional cooperation processes and European integration. Referring to the commitment of the Albanian Government to conclude state consolidating reforms and to the recommendation of the European Commission to start membership negotiations, Minister Bushati underscored that "Yesterday, the European Commission recommended the opening of accession talks with our country. I take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the Commission and at the same time express our government’s good will to engage with the Commission’s Service and member states for the implementation of the vetting and of the entire justice reform package as well".
 
RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation on Albania and praised the essential role it plays in regional cooperation. Svilanovic focused also on areas analyzed in the survey, its methodology and findings on Albania and countries of the region.